Miracle Court

New Build Affordable Housing in the National Park

“Affordable housing in historic market towns and rural areas can follow traditional lines. At Miracle Court, Bakewell, Derbyshire, a terrace of affordable houses closely follows the form and scale of local historic terraced houses. The materials and details, such as windows, show a good understanding of the local vernacular.” Reference, English Heritage publication ‘Affordable Rural Housing and the Historic Environment’.

East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (EMRFCA) appointed Allan Joyce Architects to design a new training hall to replace their existing Bakewell facility. Following consultation with the local authority, it was identified that there was a need for low cost homes for local older people. It was agreed to develop part of the site as residential accommodation in partnership with Peak Rural Housing Association.

The site is located in the heart of Bakewell, between a number of historic buildings and falls within both the Peak District National Park and the local Conservation Area. The National Park’s conservation specialists, responsible for protecting the character of the town, approved the design ideas for the redevelopment of the site in principle. The detailed design was progressed with the planners and Peak Park Authority, to agree the correct density and type of housing that would suit the area.

We obtained planning permission for the whole scheme and were novated to Wildgoose Construction to complete the working drawings for the training hall and affordable housing. The houses were carefully designed to compliment the adjacent the 19th Century stone buildings and sit comfortably in the street scene, which improved a previously vacant section of one of the town’s important street frontages. Three types of stone, including random rubble reclaimed from the existing buildings, were used to reflect the character and detailing of the surrounding properties. Sliding sash windows were traditionally detailed, but constructed with draught proofing and double glazing to improve the thermal comfort of the houses. Following completion, the project received the Friends of the Peak District Countryside Award and was shortlisted for the Peak District National Park’s First Design Award.